Ex-Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas disallowed from World Cup qualifying games

Ex-Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas disallowed from World Cup qualifying games

Former Rockets power forward Donatas Motiejunas will not be allowed to play for the Lithuanian national team during the qualifying games for the 2019 FIBA World Cup. Motiejunas currently plays for the Shandong Golden Stars of the Chinese Basketball Association, and according to Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas, the team has rejected his request to play for his country.

Motiejunas hasn’t played for the Rockets since the 2015-16 season, and his exit from the team was messy to say the least. At the 2016 trade deadline, the Rockets traded him to the Detroit Pistons, but the deal was rescinded after Motiejunas failed a physical due to lingering back problems. That created tension between him and the team, and his restricted free agency dragged into the following season. He signed a four-year, $37 million offer sheet with the Brooklyn Nets in December of 2016, which the Rockets matched. Motiejunas then refused to report to the team, and the Rockets eventually renounced his rights after they couldn’t come to an agreement. Motiejunas signed a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans for the rest of the season, then signed in China this summer.

In four seasons with the Rockets, Motiejunas averaged 7.8 points and four rebounds per game.

Email

Like this article?

Sign up for the Rockets Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning

An error has occured

Please re-enter your email address.

Thanks for signing up!

You'll now receive the top Rockets Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.